Behold North Korea’s Bizarrely Majestic Bus Stops

In the same country that is often demonised for human rights abuses and that regularly threatens to launch nuclear missiles at the rest of the world, its citizens spend much of their time doing a familiar, mundane activity: waiting for a bus.

These images by Ed Jones capture North Koreans as they wait at bus stops in the capital of Pyongyang. The same focused but slightly bored expression of urban bus riders the world over is on their faces, too.

The look of the bus stops is a bit different, however. Instead of sporting ads or graffiti, they appear to be very clean and feature landscapes or cityscapes, often with beautiful scenery.

Buses are by far the most common means of public transport in the capital of around three million people, where access to private cars is rare, and they offer an extensive network of coverage. Tickets cost 5 won each, less than 0.1 U.S. cents at free-market rates, making journeys virtually free.